Kaplan's GRE common words in context Flashcards

Question

Audacious

Answer 1

: fearless and daring Her audacious nature allowed her to fulfill her dream of skydiving.

Answer 2

:severe or stern in appearance; undecorated The lack of decoration makes military barracks seems austere to the civilian eye.

Answer 3

: predictable, cliched, boring He used banal phrases like 'have a nice day' and 'another day, another dollar'

Answer 4

: to support; to prop up The presence of giant footprints bolstered the argument that Sasquatch was in the area.

Answer 5

: pompous in speech and manner The ranting of the radio talk-show host was mostly bombastic; his boasting and outrageous claims had no basis in fact.

Answer 6

: harsh, jarring noise The junior high orchestra created an almost unbearable cacophony as they tried to tune their instruments.

Answer 7

: impartial and honest in speech The observations of a child can be charming since they are candid and unpretentious

Answer 8

: changing one's mind quickly and often Queen Elizabeth I was quite capricious; her courtiers could never be sure which of their number would catch her fancy

Answer 9

: to punish or criticize harshly Many Americans area amazed at how harshly the authorities in Singapore castigate perpetrators of what would be considered minor crimes in the US.

Answer 10

: something that brings about a change in something else The imposition of harsh taxes was the catalyst that finally brought on the revolution

Answer 11

: biting in wit Dorothy Parker gained her reputation for caustic wit from her cutting, yet clever, insults.

Answer 12

: great disorder or confusion In many religious traditions, God created an ordered universe from chaos.

Answer 13

: someone prejudiced in favor of a group to which he or she belongs The attitude that men are inherently superior to women and therefore must be obeyed is common among male chauvinist

Answer 14

: deception by means of craft or guile Dishonest used car salespeople often use chicanery to sell their beat up old cars

Answer 15

: convincing and well-reasoned Swayed by the cogent argument of the defense, the jury had no choice but to acquit the defendant.

Answer 16

: to overlook, pardon or disregard Some theorists believe that failing to prosecute minor crimes is the same as condoning an air of lawlessness

Answer 17

: intricate and complicated Although many people bought A Brief history of Time, few could follow its convoluted ideas and theories.

Answer 18

: to provider supporting evidence Fingerprints corroborated the witness's testimony that he saw the defendant in the victim's apartment.

Answer 19

: too trusting; gullible Although some 4 y/o believe in the easter bunny, only the most credulous 9 y/o still believe in him.

Answer 20

: steadily increasing volume or force The crescendo of tension became unbearable as Evel Knievel prepared to jump his motorcycle over the school buses.

Answer 21

:appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety The countess complained that the vulgar peasants lacked the decorum appropriate for a visit to the palace.

Answer 22

: respect, courtesy The respectful young law clerk treated the Supreme Court justice with the utmost deference.

Answer 23

: to speak of or treat with contempt; to mock The awkward child was often derided by his cooler peers.

Answer 24

: to dry out thoroughly After a few weeks of lying on the desert's baking sands, the cow's carcass became completely desiccated.

Answer 25

: jumping from one thing to another; disconnected Diane had a desultory academic record; she had changed majors 12 times in 3 years.

Answer 26

: an abusive, condemnatory speech The trucker bellowed a diatribe at the driver who had cut him off.

Answer 27

: lacking self-confidence Steve's diffident manner during the job interview stemmed from his nervous nature and ack of experience in the field.

Answer 28

: to make larger; to expand When you enter a darkened room, the pupils of our eyes dilate to let in more light.

Answer 29

: intended to delay The congressman used dilatory measures to delay the passage of the bill.

Answer 30

: someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic Jerry's friends wee such dilettantes that they seemed to have new jobs and hobbies every week.

Answer 31

: a funeral hymn or mournful speech Melville wrote the poem "a dirge for James McPerson" for the funeral of a Union general who was killed in 1864.

Answer 32

: to set right; to free from error Galileo's observations diabused scholars of the notion that the Sun revolved around the Earth.

Answer 33

: to perceive; to recognize It is easy to discern the difference between butter and butter-flavored topping.

Answer 34

: fundamentally different; entirely unlike Although the twins appear to be identical physically, their personalities are disparate

Answer 35

: to present a false appearance; to disguise one's real intentions or character The villain could dissemble to the police no longer- he admitted the deed and tore up the floor to reveal the body of the old man.

Answer 36

: a harsh and disagreeable combination, often of sounds Cognitive dissonance is the inner conflict produced when long-standing beliefs are contraindicated by new evidence.

Answer 37

: a firmly held opinion, often a religious belief Linus's central dogma was that children who believed in the Great Pumpkin would be rewarded.

Answer 38

: dictatorial in one's opinions The dictator was dogmatic - he and only he was right

Answer 39

: to deceive; a person who is easily deceived Bugs Bunny was able to dupe Elmer Fudd by dressing up as a lady rabbit.

Answer 40

: selecting from or made up from a variety of sources Budapest's architecture is an eclectic mix of eastern and western styles.

Answer 41

: effectiveness The efficacy of PCN was unsurpassed when it was first introduced; the drug completely eliminated almost all bacterial infections for which it was administered.

Answer 42

: a sorrowful poem or speech Although Thomas Gray's "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard' is about death and loss, it urges its readers to endure this life and to trust in spirituality.

Answer 43

: persuasive and moving, especially in speech The gettysburg address is moving not only because of its lofty sentiments but also because of its eloquent words.

Answer 44

: to copy; to try to equal or excel The graduate student sought to emulate his professor in every way, copying not only how she taught but also how she conducted herself outside of class.

Answer 45

: to reduce in strength The guerrillas hoped that a series of surprise attacks would enervate the regular army.

Answer 46

: to produce, cause, or bring about His fear and hatred of clowns was engendered when he witnessed the death of his father at the hands of a clown.

Answer 47

: a puzzle; a mystery By speaking in riddles and dressing in old robes, the artist gained a reputation as something of an enigma.

Answer 48

: to count, list, or itemize Moses returned from the mountain with tablets on which the commandments were enumerated.

Answer 49

: lasting a short time The lives of mayflies seem ephemeral to us, since the flies' average life span is a matter of hours.

Answer 50

: to open to more than one interpretation; misleading Asked a pointed question, the politician nevertheless gave an equivocal answer

Answer 51

: to use expressions of double meaning in order to mislead When faxed with criticism of her policies, the politician equivocated and left all parties thinking she agreed with them.

Answer 52

: wandering and unpredictable The plot seemed predictable until it suddenly took a series of erratic turns that surprised the audience.

Answer 53

: learned, scholarly, bookish The annual meeting of philosophy professors was a gathering of the most erudite, well-published individuals in the field.

Answer 54

: known or understood by only a few Only a handful of experts are knowledgeable about the esoteric world of particles physics.

Answer 55

:admirable Most people consider it estimable that mother theresa spent her life helping the poor of india.

Answer 56

: speech in praise of someone His best friend gave the eulogy, outlining his many achievements and talents.

Answer 57

: use of an inoffensive word or phrase in place of a more distasteful one The funeral director preferred to use the euphemism 'sleeping' instead of the word 'dead'.

Answer 58

: to make worse It is unwise to take aspirin to try to relieve heartburn; instead of providing relief, the drug will only exacerbate the problem.

Answer 59

: to clear from blame; prove innocent The adversarial legal system is intended to convict those who are guilty and to exculpate those who are innocent.

Answer 60

: urgent, requiring immediate action. The patient was losing blood so rapidly that it was exigent to stop the source of bleedin.

Answer 61

: to clear of blame The fugitive was exonerated when another criminal confessed to committing the crime.

Answer 62

: clearly stated or shown; forthright in expression The owners of the house left a list of explicit instructions detailing their house sitter's duties, including a schedule for watering the house plants.

Answer 63

: acting excessively enthusiastic; filled with extreme, unquestioned devotion The stormtroopers were fanatical in their devotion to the emperor, readily sacrificing their lives for him.

Answer 64

: to grovel The understudy fawned over the director in hopes of being cast in the part on a permanent basis.

Answer 65

: intensely emotional, feverish The fans of Maria Callas were unusually fervid, doing anything to catch a glimpse of the great opera singer.

Answer 66

: excessively decorated or embellished The palace had been decorated in a florid style; every surface had been carved and gilded.

Answer 67

: to arouse or incite The protesters tried to foment feeling against the war through their speeches and demonstrations.

Answer 68

: a tendency to be thrifty or cheap Scrooge McDuck's frugality was so great that he accumulated enough wealth to fill a giant storehouse with money.

Answer 69

: tending to talk a lot The garrulous parakeet distracted its owner with its continuous talking.

Answer 70

: outgoing, sociable She was so gregarious that when she found herself alone, she felt quite sad.

Answer 71

: deceit or trickery Since he was not fast enough to catch the roadrunner on foot, the coyote resorted to guile in an effort to trap his enemy.

Answer 72

: easily deceived The con man pretended to be a bank officer so as to fool gullible bank customers into giving him their acct information.

Answer 73

: of a similar kind The class was fairly homogeneous, since almost all of the students were senior journalism majors.

Answer 74

: one who opposes established beliefs, customs, and institutions His lack of regard for traditional beliefs soon established him as an iconoclast.

Answer 75

: not capable of being disturbed The counselor had so much experience dealing with distraught children that she seemed imperturbable, even when faced with the wildest tantrums.

Answer 76

: impossible to penetrate; incapable of being affected A good raincoat will be impervious to moisture

Answer 77

: quick to act without thinking It is not good for an investment broker to be impetuous, since much thought should be given to all the possible options.

Answer 78

: unable to be calmed down or made peaceful His rage at the betrayal was so great that he remained implacable for weeks

Answer 79

: not fully formed; disorganized The ideas expressed in Nietzsche's mature work also appear in an inchoate form in his earliest writing.

Answer 80

: showing innocence or childlike simplicity She was so ingenuous that her friends feared that her innocence and trustfulness would be exploited when she visited the big city.

Answer 81

:hostile, unfriendly Even though the children had grown up together, they were inimical to each other at school.

Answer 82

:harmless Some snakes are poisonous, but most species are innocuous and pose no danger to humans.

Answer 83

: lacking interest or flavor The critic claimed that the painting was insipid, containing no interesting qualities at all.

Answer 84

:uncompromising; refusing to be reconciled The professor was intransigent on the deadline, insisting that everyone turn the assignment in at the same time.

Answer 85

: to overwhelm; to cover with water The tidal wave inundated Atlantis, which was lost beneath the water.

Answer 86

: easily made angry Attila the Hun's irascible and violent nature made all who dealt with him fear for their lives.

Answer 87

:using few words She was laconic poet who built her reputation on using words as sparingly as possible

Answer 88

: to express sorrow; to grieve The children continued to lament the death of the goldfish weeks after its demise.

Answer 89

: to give praise; to glorify Parade and fireworks were stages to laud the success of rebels.

Answer 90

: to give unsparingly. extremely generous or extravagant She lavished the puppy with so many treats that it soon became overweight and spoiled.

Answer 91

: actin in an indifferent or slow, sluggish manner The clerk was so lethargic that, even when the store was slow, he always had a long line in front of him.

Answer 92

: talkative She was naturally loquacious, which was a problem in situations in which listening was more important than talking.

Answer 93

: clear and easily understood The explanations were written in a simple and lucid manner so that students were immediately able to apply what they learned

Answer 94

: bright, brilliant, glowing The park was bathed in luminous sunshine, which warmed the bodies and the souls of the visitors.

Answer 95

: to evade responsibility by pretending to be ill A common way to avoid the draft was by malingering- pretending to be mentally or physically ill so as to avoid being enlisted by the army.

Answer 96

: capable of being shaped Gold is the most malleable of precious metals; it can easily be formed into almost any shape.

Answer 97

: a figure of speech comparing two different things; a symbol The metaphor ' a sea o troubles' suggests a lot of troubles by comparing their number to the vastness of the sea.

Answer 98

:extremely careful about details To find all the clues at the crime scene, the investigators meticulously examined every inch of the area.

Answer 99

: a person who dislikes others The character scrooge in a Christmas carol is such a misanthrope that even the sight of children singing makes him angry.

Answer 100

:to soften, to lessen A judge may mitigate a sentence if she decides that person committed a crime our of need.

Answer 101

: to calm or makes less severe Their argument was so intense that it was difficult to believe any compromise would mollify them.

Answer 102

: lack of variation The monotony of the sound of the dripping faucet almost drove the research assistant crazy.

Answer 103

: lacking sophistication or experience Having never traveled before, the elementary school students were more naive than their high school counterparts on the field trip.

Answer 104

: hardened in feeling; resistant to persuasion. The president was completely obdurate on the issue, and no amount of persuasion would change his mind.

Answer 105

: overly submissive and eager to please The obsequious new associate made sure to compliment her supervisor's tie and agree with him on every issue.

Answer 106

: stubborn, unyielding The obstinate child could not be made to eat any food that he disliked.

Answer 107

: to prevent; to make unnecessary The river was shallow enough to wade across at many points, which obviated the need for a bridge.

Answer 108

: to stop up; to prevent the passage of A shadow is thrown across the earth's surface during a solar eclipse, when the light from the sun is occluded by the moon.

Answer 109

: troublesome and expressive; burdensome The assignment was so extensive and difficult to manage that it proved onerous to the team in charge of it.

Answer 110

: impossible to see through; preventing the passage of light The heavy buildup of dirt and grime on the windows almost made them opaque.

Answer 111

: public disgrace After the scheme to embezzle the elderly was made public, the treasurer resigned in utter opprobrium

Answer 112

: excessive showiness The ostentation of the Sun King's court is evident in the lavish decoration and luxuriousness of his palace at Versailles.

Answer 113

: a contradiction or dilemma It is a paradox that those most in need of medical attention are often those least able to obtain it.

Answer 114

: model of excellence or perfection she is the paragon of what a judge should be: honest, intelligent, hardworking and just.

Answer 115

: someone who shows off learning The graduate instructor's tedious and excessive commentary on the subject soon gained her a reputation as a pedant.

Answer 116

: willing to betray one's trust The actress's perfidious companion revealed all of her intimate secrets to the gossip columnist.

Answer 117

: done in a routine way; indifferent The machinelike bank teller processed the transaction and gave the waiting customer a perfunctory smile.

Answer 118

: to penetrate This miraculous new cleaning fluid is able to permeate stains and dissolve them in minutes.

Answer 119

: charity; a desire or an effort to promote goodness NY's Museum of Art owes much of its collection to the philanthropy of private collectors who willed their estate to the museum.

Answer 120

: to soothe or pacify The burglar tried to placate the snarling dog by saying, 'nice doggy' and offering it a treat.

Answer 121

: able to be molded, altered, or bent The new material was very plastic and could be formed into products of vastly different shapes.

Answer 122

:excess Assuming that more was better, the defendant offered the judge a plethora of excuses.

Answer 123

; practical as opposed to idealistic While daydreaming gamblers think they can get rich by frequenting casinos, pragmatic gamblers realize that the odds are heavily stacked against them.

Answer 124

: to throw violently or bring about abruptly; lacking deliberation Upon learning that the couple married after knowing each ohter only 2 months, friends and family members expected such a precipitate marriage to end in divorce.

Answer 125

: to lie or deviate from the truth Rather than admit that he had overslept again, the employee prevaricated and claimed that heavy traffic had prevented him from arriving at work on time.

Answer 126

: fresh and clean; uncorrupted Since concerted measures had been taken to prevent looting, the archaeological site was still pristine when researchers arrived.

Answer 127

: lavish, wasteful The prodigal son quickly wasted all of his inheritance on a lavish lifestyle devoted to pleasure.

Answer 128

: to increase in number quickly. Although she only kept 2 guinea pigs initially, they proliferated to such an extent that she soon had dozens.

Answer 129

: to conciliate; to appease The management propitiated the irate union by agreeing to raise wages for its members.

Answer 130

: correct behavior; obedience to rules and customs The aristocracy maintained a high level of propriety, adhering to even the most minor social rules.

Answer 131

: wisdom, caution, or restraint The college student exhibited prudence by obtaining practical experience along with her studies, which greatly strengthen her resume.

Answer 132

: sharp and irritating to the senses. The smoke from the burning tires was extremely pungent.

Answer 133

: motionless Many animals are quiescent over the winter months, minimizing activity in order to conserve energy.

Answer 134

: to make thinner or sparse Since the atmosphere rarefies as altitudes increase, the air at the top of very tall mountains is too thing to breathe.

Answer 135

: to reject the validity of The old woman's claim that she was Russian royalty was repudiated when DNA tests showed she was of no relation to them.

Answer 136

: silent, reserved physically small and reticent in her speech, Joan Didion often went unnoticed by those upon whom she was reporting

Answer 137

effective writing or speaking Lincoln's talent for rhetoric was evident in his beautifully expressed gettysburg addresse.

Answer 138

: to satisfy fully or overindulge His desire for power was so great that nothing less than complete control of the country could satiate it.

Answer 139

: causing sleep or lethargy The movie proved to be so soporific that soon loud snores were hard throughout the theater

Answer 140

: deceptively attractive; seemingly plausible but fallacious the student's specious excuse for being late sounded legitimate but proved otherwise when her teacher called her home.

Answer 141

: a mark of shame or discredit In the scarlet letter, hester prynne was required to wear the letter A on her clothes as a public stigma for her adultery.

Answer 142

: unemotional; lacking sensitivity The prisoner appeared stolid and unaffected by the judge's harsh sentence.

Answer 143

; lofty or grand The music was so sublime that it transformed the rude surroundings into a special place.

Answer 144

: done without using words Although not a word had been said, everyone in the room knew that a tacit agreement had been made about which course of action to take.

Answer 145

: silent, not talkative The clerk's taciturn nature earned him the nickname 'silent bob'

Answer 146

; long, harsh speech or verbal attack Observers were shocked at the manager's tirade over such a minor mistake.

Answer 147

: extreme mental and physical sluggishness After surgery, the patient experienced torpor until the anesthesia wore off

Answer 148

: temporary, lasting a brief time The reporter lived a transitory life, staying in one place only long enough to cover the current story.

Answer 149

: to sway physically, to be indecisive The customer held up the line as he vacillated between ordering chocolate chip or rocky road ice cream.

Answer 150

: to respect deeply In a traditional Confucian society, the young venerate their elders, deferring to the elders' wisdom and experience.

Answer 151

: truthfulness; accuracy She had a reputation for veracity, so everyone trusted her description of events.

Answer 152

: wordy The professor's answer was so verbose that his student forgot what the original question had been.

Answer 153

: to annoy The old man who loved his peace and quiet was vexed by his neighbor's loud music

Answer 154

:easily aroused or changeable; lively or explosive His volatile personality made it difficult to predict his reaction to anything.

Answer 155

: to fluctuate between choices If you waver too long before making decision about which testing site to register for, you may not get your first choice.

Answer 156

: acting in a fanciful or capricious manner; unpredictable The ballet was whimsical, delighting the children with its imaginative characters and unpredictable sets

Kaplan's GRE common words in context Flashcards

(180 cards)